Posts tagged as:

networking

Why LinkedIn Is No Longer Optional

by Daria Steigman on January 24, 2013

LinkedIn logo on blue surfaceThe other day I was looking for insights into a few people I was scheduled to meet. Do you know where I turned first? Not a company Web site. Not Facebook. Not Google Search.

I started with LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is no longer optional. It’s a must for any business professional.

Here are three reasons to make sure your profile is up to date and ready for prime time:

1. A glimpse of the real you (more or less). While a corporate bio is likely to have been written and rewritten by sales or marketing folks, most LinkedIn profiles have been developed by the individual. I get to see what you think is important to know about your background and expertise. I get to figure out if you are business smart or just good at resume cut and paste.

2. A search for connections. LinkedIn’s core function is to draw lines between and among people, but the real connections are shared skills, shared interests, and shared opportunities. One reason I look first at LinkedIn is to understand not just who we might know in common but also whether there are tangential linkages I can tap (e.g., universities, past jobs or job responsibilities, places we’ve lived).

3. Opportunities abound. Executive recruiters who spoke at a recent IABC/Washington meeting said that LinkedIn is the first place they look for prospects. The first place. While you might not be job-hunting, chances are you are looking for customers, clients, colleagues, partners, or vendors.

Recruiters are searching for you. Prospects are scrutinizing you.

If you’re in certain professions and you’re not on LinkedIn, then I wonder why. If you’re using it but you don’t have a photo, or your information is old or incomplete, then my advice would be to fix that right now.

What’s your experience? How do you use LinkedIn?

Photo by Coletivo Mambembe (Flickr).

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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Why Work Doesn’t Drop in Your Lap

by Daria Steigman on January 17, 2013

Four-Leaf CloverHave you ever had someone you don’t know contact you about a project? People think this is good fortune—but it’s not. Work doesn’t just drop into your lap.

Good fortune comes from doing all the little things right.

Successful business development is far more about building your reputation than it is about cold calls or sitting next to the right person on an airplane. The future client I met at a luncheon was interested because we had a trusted connection in common. The lobbyist who called me for a proposal got my name from someone I’d followed up with a couple of times. The association marketer hired me in part because we discovered during our first conversation that I had once worked with her daughter (and she subsequently said nice things about me).

You might have the perfect prospect in front of you, but you’re unlikely to close the deal unless you have a track record of achievement and people willing to vouch for you.

Photo by JD Hancock (Flickr).

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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3 Ways to Get Referrals

by Daria Steigman on January 10, 2013

Yellow LilyA colleague recently asked me how I get referrals. It’s a good question, because referrals can be a terrific source of new business.

Referrals happen both deliberately and organically.

Deliberate referrals are all about staying top of mind and letting people know you are available. For example, I will often ask clients and colleagues if they know of other people with whom I might usefully network. This is a great way to ask for help without putting someone on the spot thinking that you’re suddenly going to try to “hard sell” their connections. I will also, at times, ask people more directly if they know of others who are looking for help.

Organic referrals are the ones that seem to drop into your lap. Though, of course, work rarely shows up this way. Because I’ve been in business for a long time and have a fairly wide network (and do the “deliberate” stuff), I periodically get calls from people who have been given my name by a colleague.

Don’t forget about reciprocity.

The third way to get referrals is by being a good connector. For me, reciprocity isn’t a one-to-one equation. It’s more about what I call the “good karma” rule, passing on projects that aren’t right for me and sharing job openings with colleagues who are searching for their next great opportunity.

Do you rely on referrals in your business? What’s your strategy?

Photo by Flower’s Lover (Flickr).

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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The Problem with Instant Gratification

by Daria Steigman on December 13, 2012

Child bored by a giant loud speaker.We’ve all seen it: the person who’s talking at you while scanning the room looking for someone more important. But who’s “more important” anyway?

The intern in the cubicle might be president someday. Or work at your dream-job company. Or have a tie to your best prospect.

Or maybe they just have an interesting story to tell.

You want a network that’s both deep and wide.

The problem with instant gratification is that while you’re thinking “she’s just a consultant,” “he’s job hunting,” or “she’s really young,” the savvy business person is listening, being helpful, and connecting with people one by one.

Photo by Woodley Wonderworks (Flickr).

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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The Worst Thing You Can Do When Networking

by Daria Steigman on September 10, 2012

Red Chair By the CurbThere’s a women’s entrepreneurs’ group that I joined last year. There are chapters, and bimonthly meetings, and a rigid meeting format that kind of drives me crazy. The intent of the sessions is solid: brainstorming solutions to members’ business challenges and sharing lessons learned. But there are usually too few people in the room and too many of them are business newbies.

So why did I renew my membership for a second year? Because the overall membership is expertise- and industry-diverse. 

In other words, people who aren’t like me and whose networks and customer/client bases don’t overlap my own.

Why do you network?

  • To build a referral engine?
  • To expand your connections?
  • To identify viable vendors or potential business partners?
  • To touch base with existing colleagues, contacts, or prospects?
  • To connect with your next great client/customer?

Your answer is probably “all of the above.” But here’s the challenge: You can’t accomplish this if you don’t move outside your comfort zone.

The worst thing you can do when networking is hang out with your friends.

You see it all the time: Lawyers hang out with lawyers. Doctors hang out with doctors. Marketers, plumbers, scientists… We like easy, and hanging out with “our own” is easy. But it’s not the best strategy for growing your business.

One of the biggest challenges that many businesses face is finding new business. New customers. New clients. New orders. One reason so many entrepreneurs struggle with this is that they’re spending too much time networking with peers rather than talking to the stranger who just might know (or be) their next great customer.

What’s your networking strategy?

Photo by Stefan Kloo (Flickr)

Have you grabbed a free copy of Your Social Media Checklist? Download it today to get 9 tips for being findable and attracting the right customers for your business.

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